Mulberry employees being tested for TB after scare at Somerset factory

File photo dated 07/10/2012 of a Mulberry shop in London as the company has warned its profits will miss expectations after a post-Christmas slowdown in the luxury goods market. PA Wire/Press Association Images

Hundreds of workers at luxury British fashion label Mulberry are being screened for tuberculosis after two employees contracted the disease just months apart, a spokesperson confirmed today.

A factory worker at the brand’s base, known as The Rookery, in Somerset came down with the potentially fatal infection in January, while another – who’s still off work – was diagnosed in May.

Although both are recovering well and are not infectious, the discovery of this second case prompted Public Health England to screen more than 300 workers and send letters to all staff.

The luxury label’s spokesperson said: ‘Mulberry has fully complied with Public Health England advice on this.

Dr Sarah Harrison, interim deputy director of health protection for the Devon, Cornwall and Somerset PHE Centre was quick to reassure locals that TB is very difficult to catch. The disease is only spread when an infectious person has a cough and people most at risk are those in the same household.

She said: ‘It is important to remember that TB is a curable disease which can be treated effectively with antibiotics, particularly if found early.

‘Letters from Public Health England have been sent to all staff that were tested. Those with a positive test have been referred to local TB services for further investigation and treatment if necessary. The general advice is that people should contact their doctor if they are suffering from the symptoms of TB.’

This comes after a testing year for the high-end label loved by celebs from Cara Delevingne to Kate Moss. In March, it lost its CEO, Bruno Guillon, who stepped down amid dire profit warnings.